1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic apparatus in which a front panel is detachably installed on an apparatus main body, and in particular, to a technique of ensuring an electric connection between a front panel and the apparatus main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle-mounted AV (Audio/Visual) apparatuses are conventionally known in which a front panel provided with operation buttons and a display is detachably installed on an apparatus main body. FIG. 8 is a conceptual drawing of a structure of a conventional vehicle-mounted AV apparatus as viewed from a diagonal front of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 8, an apparatus main body 81 of a vehicle-mounted AV apparatus 300 is provided with a plate 83 that can move between a position at which it covers a front surface of the vehicle-mounted AV apparatus 300 (position (A) shown in FIG. 8) and a position at which it opens the front surface (portion (B) shown in FIG. 8. Further, a front panel 82 is detachably held against the plate 83 by holding mechanisms 84 formed at longitudinally opposite ends of a back surface of the front panel 82 and at longitudinally opposite ends of a front surface of the plate 83. Further, the front surface of the plate 83 and the back surface of the front panel 82 are provided with detach connectors 83a and 82a, respectively. The detach connectors 83a and 82a are connected together to supply power from the apparatus main body 81 to the front panel 82 and to allow electric signals to be transmitted between the apparatus main body 81 and the front panel 82.
However, in the conventional vehicle-mounted AV apparatus 300, the holding mechanisms 84 are formed at the longitudinally opposite ends of the front panel 82 and plate 83. Thus, there is a inconvenience that both front panel 82 and plate 83 may be warped.
For example, FIG. 9 is a conceptual drawing of connecting a section between the detach connector 82a provided on the front panel 82 and the detach connector 83a of the plate 83, as viewed from a side of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 9, the front panel 82 is warped in projecting form, whereas the plate 83 is warped in recess form. As a result, contact pressure is reduced to make contact failure at a connector terminal near a central portion between the detach connector 83a and the detach connector 82a. Thereby, a inconvenience may occur with power supply from the apparatus main body 81 to the front panel 82 and thus with transmission of electric signals from the apparatus main body 81 to the front panel 82.
The amount of information on the display of the front panel 82 and on operational instructions therefor is expected to increase in the future. Accordingly, an increase in number of connector terminals in the detach connector is not avoidable and may make the above inconvenience marked.